President's Message

March 16, 2017

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and to look for information about the Friends of the La Mesa Library. The first thing you should know is that the Friends of the La Mesa Library, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation (Tax ID # 33-0638967). All dues and donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Board of the Friends of the La Mesa Library needs your help! The current board has been in place for over five years and has accomplished a lot. But no volunteer organization can thrive without a constant influx of new people with renewed enthusiasm and new ideas. If you have experience with retail sales, we can use help with the bookstore: sorting, pricing and selling the many books that are so generously donated by our fellow residents. If you have administrative skills, our secretary, membership chair, and treasurer are ready to train and step aside for a new person. Do you have a background in marketing and social media? We could really use your skills in our efforts to promote the Library and the many programs and features offered. If you are interested, please contact me directly at 619-460-1744, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by leaving a message at the bookstore in the Library. If the bookstore is closed, you can leave a message in the Friends donation box in lobby.

As I write this message, the City of La Mesa is entering into its annual budget preparation process. This process began with the recent Town Hall meetings at which the City Council received direct input on community issues from the public. Having attended these meetings, it is clear that the major concerns of many residents are the recent influx of marijuana dispensaries and the ongoing struggle with scofflaws in their cars.

The next step in this budget process will be City Council workshop meetings during which the City staff will outline La Mesa’s current and projected financial situation, along with reports from the various departments on their anticipated work programs. In addition to addressing the expressed concerns of the community, the City is devoting time and effort to the continued revitalization of the La Mesa Village, improvements to the parks and recreational opportunities in the city, and methods and opportunities to complete needed improvements in the La Mesa Civic Center. For over a year and a half, the Friends of the La Mesa Library have reminded the City Council that the current Civic Center Master Plan reflects a commitment made fifteen years ago to provide the residents of La Mesa with a larger and more functional library. We believe that such a building should remain an integral part of any revised vision for the Civic Center.

I invite everyone to attend one of the new Second Saturday Concerts in the library. These start at 1:00 p.m. and go for an hour or an hour-and-a-half. They feature acoustic musicians suitable for the library environment. This pilot program is jointly funded by the Friends and the County Library System and will continue through June. It has been so successful that the Friends’ Board and La Mesa Library staff has agreed to restart the series in September.

If you have any questions or comments about how the Friends are doing, please feel free to contact me at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

John Schmitz, President